Mirror
Brits may be bracing themselves for a heatwave, but it pales in comparison to the sweltering temperatures sweeping America’s West Coast.
Devastating wildfires have ripped through California in recent days, while Death Valley has seen the mercury hit 54C.
The baking temperature is the highest on record since 1913, when the area reached 57C – considered the highest ever recorded on Earth.
Death Valley has a fearsome reputation as the hottest place in the planet – so warm, in fact, that national park officials once sent out a plea to stop tourists frying eggs on the ground.
From sizzling heat to constant darkness and even underground cities, only a few select places in the world boast such unique selling points.
Here, we take a trip around the planet’s most extreme tourist attractions.
Death Valley: The hottest place on Earth
The lowest point in North America, Death Valley is a national park like no other, boasting roasting temperatures and some of nature’s most astounding mysteries.
Touching the earth at Badwater Basin and you’ll notice a snow-like substance caking much of the hard ground, which is actually salt that remains after temporary lakes form during heavy storms.
Even more incredible is the sight of trails stretching more than 1,500 feet – the result of a mysterious phenomenon that sees huge rocks dragging themselves across the ground.
The small number of dunes of Death Valley are said to ‘sing’ to visitors, emitting a sound like a pipe organ or airplane drone when sand falls down the tallest hills.
Movie buffs should also check out Artists Drive, a beautiful area full of multi-coloured hills. The landscape inspired the scenery for Tatooine in Star Wars: A New Hope, while it has also features in classics including Spartacus, The Twilight Zone and Tarzan.
Speaking to the BBC, one resident explained the temperatures get so hot that you can’t even sweat properly.
“It feels so hot that one thing it took me a while to get used to is that you can’t actually feel the sweat on your skin because it evaporates so quickly,” she said.
“You might feel it on your clothes, but you don’t actually feel sweat on your skin because it dries so quickly.”
Coober Pedy: The underground city
Far out in the Australian Outback, Coober Pedy is a bit of a trek – the nearest town is more than 200km away.
However, the unique tourist spot has two big selling points.
Firstly, it is known as the ‘opal capital of the world’, with miners for generations flocking to the town to hunt for the precious stones.
Secondly, hiding beneath the arid ground is an incredible underground town, boasting a tunnel of homes, hotels and even an art gallery.
With recorded temperatures reaching up to 47C, residents escape the heat by living permanently under the earth – and like Death Valley, it has proved an irresistible lure for Hollywood.
